He talked about Gilead’s cardiopulmonary business, including the cystic fibrosis drug Cayston. “It is in line to be $1 billion this year,” Milligan said about the business.

He also highlighted the company’s cancer strategy, including the lymphoma drug idelalisib that could be approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the fall. In fact, 2013 was the first year the company had a “significant presence” at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting, Milligan said.

Then — finally — Milligan came to the company’s cornerstone HIV/AIDS franchise.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve given a talk where HIV comes this late in the presentation,” Milligan said.

Combo attack

Cancer immunotherapies are all the biotech rage, and the chatter is continuing at JPM14.

But the chief financial officer/IT officer of Roche, the parent company of South San Francisco-based Genentech Inc., thinks there is even more punch to ultimately be found in those therapies.

“Where immunotherapy is not much discussed is in combination …,” Alan Hippe said. “There might be much more efficacy.”

That kind of talk is likely to buoy a potential $35 billion space. It also could boost specific companies as well.

Still, hearing Jim Breitmeyer of BN ImmunoTherapeutics talk about the potential of combination therapies — like the Mountain View-based unit of Bavarian Nordic A/S is exploring with its late-stage Prostvac prostate cancer vaccine — is one thing. Having the CFO of one of the world’s largest and most respected drug makers, which has several early-stage immunotherapies in its portfolio, is quite another.

Whatcha got?

Seattle Genetics Inc. isn’t on the primary list of companies we cover, though it does have an important antibody-drug conjugate program with Genentech. Still, we had to ask CEO Clay Siegall if he’d consider a move from Bothell, Wash., to the Bay Area.

Siegall pooh-poohed an outright move, but he added that the company (NASDAQ: SGEN) “is looking if there’s a small company that would be good” for Seattle Genetics to buy.

That could be any geography, but Siegall has family in the Bay Area, too. “I’ll never rule out operations here,” he said.

Marin manufacturing

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.’s Novato manufacturing plant can expect more business this year.

The San Rafael-based company (NASDAQ: BMRN) would launch Vimizim, with the drug to be made at the facility, if the Food and Drug Administration approves the treatment for the rare disease Morquio A. That approval is expected early this year.

Vimizim production ultimately could shift, BioMarin leaders said, to a former Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) facility in Shanbally, Cork, Ireland, that BioMarin agreed in 2011 to buy. But the Irish facility still is undergoing improvements and likely won’t be approved by regulators until late 2016 or early 2017.

Quotes of the Day

“Somebody had mentioned hot yoga being good. After being in this room for 20 minutes, I’m reconsidering.”

— Bill Hambrecht, whose earlier investment bank, Hambrecht & Quist, started what now is known as the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. Hambrecht was speaking a few blocks away, keynoting Monday’s OneMedForum meeting

By the numbers

$365 million

Net sales of San Francisco’s Medivation Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) and Astellas Pharma’s prostate cancer drug Xtandi. The drug hit the market only in September 2012.

12,482

Number of steps by this reporter in, around, to and from Union Square, according to Jawbone's UP24 device. By comparison, an office day registers 4,000 steps.

10

Number of years this month since Genomic Health launched its molecular diagnostic test, initially to understand the need for chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. It has since expanded into colon and prostate cancer, CEO Kim Popovits said, and helped 100,000 cancer patients avoid chemotherapy. The company’s 2013 revenue will be about $260 million and is expected to approach $1 billion in 2020.